Board Seeks Marine Dismissal After Anti-Obama Remarks

4/6/2012 3:27 PM ET

A military board has recommended a Marine sergeant be dismissed with an other-than-honorable discharge after he criticized President Barack Obama on his Facebook page.

The Marine Corps administrative board at Camp Pendleton decided on Thursday Sgt. Gary Stein committed misconduct and should be dismissed. In addition, the board recommended Stein be given an other-than-honorable discharge, which would strip him of his benefits and prohibit him from entering any military base.

The board, comprised of three members, voted unanimously. Their recommendations will be reviewed by a general who will either accept or deny them.

Stein's lawyers argue the 26-year-old was expressing his personal views and exercising his First Amendment rights.

Stein, who has served in the Marine Corps for nine years and was deployed to Iraq, displayed his strong opposition to Obama's policies through comments on Facebook.

His Facebook page states, "I am a Conservative, hell bent on defending the constitution and preserving America's greatness. I do not represent the views of the United States Armed Forces."

Among the comments in question, Stein said he would refuse the president's orders if he believed they were unconstitutional, calling Obama a coward and an enemy on his Facebook page. He also encouraged people not to re-elect the president in 2012.

Stein also sold "NOBAMA 2012" bumper stickers, according to the Las Angeles Times.

According to military law, uniformed personnel are barred from making critical comments of their chain of command, including the commander-in-chief, or engaging in political activity in a context that deems them acting as military members.